Nazis, Cheap Thrills, And Big Bad Wolves: The 13 Best Horror Movies Of 2014

2) Cheap Thrills

Filmmaker E.L. Katz gets a double mention on this year’s list, as I’ve already dropped his name in my write-up for The ABCs Of Death 2, but Cheap Thrills comes solely from Katz’s vision alone. Written by David Chirchirillo and Trent Haaga, there’s so much hilarious Troma influence injected into this bar-room-game turned sadistic horror tale, but Katz understands gore alone isn’t enough to hit on the film’s deceptively weighty tones. Cheap Thrills is about the sickening lows you’re willing to reach once your back is against the wall, faced with degrading choices that might spell a way out of mediocrity – which can be darkly comical at times.

Starring Pat Healy, David Koechner, Sara Paxton, and Ethan Embry, the cast of Cheap Thrills is perfectly plucked for each and every part. Healy becomes more and more relatable as the struggling blue-collar schlub, Embry charms as an unexpected badass and Paxton’s eyes do all her talking, but it’s Koechner who achieves hilarious perfection as the night’s ringleader. I’ve seen Cheap Thrills numerous times since buying the Blu-Ray, and even though I know how it’ll end up, each viewing still remains as ridiculously enjoyable as the last.